Arkansas The Natural State

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2 E N C Y C L O P Æ D I A Britannica DISCOVER AMERICA Arkansas The Natural State CHICAGO LONDON NEW DELHI PARIS SEOUL SYDNEY TAIPEI TOKYO

3 EB STAFF ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Editors Anthony L. Green William L. Hosch Michael I. Levy Robert M. Lewis Amy Tikkanen Jeffrey Wallenfeldt Copy Editors Michael Anderson Andrea R. Field Lorraine Murray Cover Design and Art Kurt Heintz Steve Kapusta WEIGL STAFF ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Project Coordinator Jennifer Nault Substantive Editor Rennay Craats This edition published 2008 by Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. International Standard Book Number: (Set) International Standard Book Number: (Volume) 2008, 2002 by Weigl Publishers Inc. Additional material 2008, 2005 Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. No part of this work may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. ENCYCLOPÆDIA Britannica: DISCOVER AMERICA Volume 4: Arkansas 2008, 2005 Britannica.com may be accessed on the Internet at Encyclopædia Britannica, Britannica, and the Thistle logo are registered trademarks of Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. Copy Editor Heather Kissock Designers Warren Clark Terry Paulhus Photo Researcher Angela Lowen Photograph Credits Every reasonable effort has been made to trace ownership and to obtain permission to reprint copyright material. The publishers would be pleased to have any errors or omissions brought to their attention so that they may be corrected in subsequent printings. Cover: Waterfall in the Ozark Mountains of Arkansas, Buddy Mays/Corbis; Archive Photos: pages 21T, 23T, 23BL, 24T, 27ML; Arkansas History Commission: pages 3M, 17T, 17BR, 18T, 18BR, 19T, 19BR; Arkansas Parks and Tourism: pages 3B, 4T, 4ML, 4BR, 5T, 6T, 7T, 8T, 8BL, 8BR, 9T, 9B, 10BL, 11BR, 12T, 12ML, 12BR, 13T, 13BR, 14BR, 16T, 16B, 17BL, 18BL, 20T, 20BL, 20BR, 21B, 22T, 22ML, 22BR, 23BR, 24ML, 25BR, 26T, 26 BL, 26BR, 27TR, 27B, 28T, 29T, 29B; Corel Corporation: pages 3T, 10T, 10BR, 11T, 11ML, 15ML, 25BL; Defense Visual Information Center: page 14T; Eyewire Corporation: pages 14BL, 28B; Hot Springs Visitor s Bureau: page 6BR; Little Rock Convention and Visitor s Bureau: page 7B; Photodisc: page 6BL; Photofest: pages 24BR, 25T; Photos.com: pages 14BR, 15TL; Monique de St. Croix: page 15BR.

4 CONTENTS Introduction... 4 Land and Climate... 8 Natural Resources... 9 Plants and Animals Tourism Industry Goods and Services Native Americans Explorers and Missionaries Early Settlers Population Politics and Government Cultural Groups Arts and Entertainment Sports Brain Teasers Facts and Resources Glossary Index... 32

5 8 A RKANSAS LAND AND CLIMATE The Ozark Mountains rise to 2,000 feet above sea level. Arkansas s rivers include the Mississippi, the Arkansas, the Ouachita, the Red, the White, and the St. Francis. Arkansas has many reservoirs, which were formed by damming natural waterways. Lake Chicot is the state s largest natural lake. On a map, a diagonal line drawn from St. Francis to Texarkana divides Arkansas into two triangular segments. The lowlands are in the southeast, and the highlands are in the northwest. The low, level plains of the southeast have the best farmland in the state. The northwestern highlands are composed of mountains and deep valleys. Arkansas has two main mountain ranges. The Ozark Mountains in the north feature dense forests and gurgling rivers and brooks. In western and central Arkansas are the Ouachita Mountains. This area is rich in coal and natural gas. The Arkansas Valley lies between the Ozarks and the Ouachita Mountains. Arkansas s climate is warm and wet. Summers are long and hot, with temperatures occasionally rising above 100 F. Typically, July temperatures soar to about 80 F. Winters are short and mild. January temperatures average about 42 F. Arkansas has an average rainfall of 50 inches per year and an average snowfall of 6 inches per year. There are more than 9,000 miles of streams and rivers in Arkansas. People can see some interesting rock formations and waterfalls while hiking in the Natural State.

6 G EOGRAPHY 9 NATURAL RESOURCES Arkansas has one of only two diamond mines in the United States the other is in Colorado. Arkansas produces more bromine than any other state. This element is used in dyes and medicines. Saline County is home to the largest bauxite deposits in the United States. Bauxite is used to make aluminum. Nature has blessed Arkansas with many resources. Arkansas was the first state to mine diamonds. Diamond mining began in 1906, when John Huddleston spotted two of the glittering stones in the dirt on his farm in southwestern Arkansas. His land became the only diamond mine in the country at the time. Today visitors can search for diamonds at Crater of Diamonds State Park in Murfreesboro. They can even keep any diamonds they find while digging! More than 75,000 diamonds have been found in Crater of Diamonds State Park. Quartz crystal is another important mineral found in Arkansas. These crystals are sometimes called Arkansas diamonds, but they are not true diamonds. Quartz crystals are mined in the Ouachita Mountains and are used in computer components. This stone became Arkansas s state mineral in Crater of Diamonds State Park is the only public diamond mine in the world.

7 10 A RKANSAS PLANTS AND ANIMALS Due to overhunting, Arkansas s black bear population was once in jeopardy. The animals were successfully reintroduced to the state in the 1950s and 1960s. The apple blossom is Arkansas s state flower. It has pink and white petals. At one time Arkansas was a major apple-producing state. Arkansas s state bird is the mockingbird. This bird mocks, or imitates, the songs of many other birds. The pine is the state tree. Two varieties, the loblolly and the shortleaf, are found in the state. Both varieties can grow to be 100 feet tall. The Natural State lives up to its nickname. Approximately half of Arkansas is wooded. Forests and natural areas provide habitats for many plant and animal species. Opossums, muskrats, weasels, rabbits, and squirrels can all be found in Arkansas. Red and gray foxes also roam throughout the state. Government game refuges maintain deer and elk populations in Arkansas. There are many forested areas in Arkansas s mountains. Hardwood forests of oak, hickory, maple, and beech stretch across the Ozarks. In the Ouachita Mountains shortleaf pine forests thrive. The highland regions are also home to black bears and bobcats. The bobcat, a close relative of the lynx, roams the mountains of Arkansas.